The Love I Never Knew I Had DISCONTINUED
by TweedleBugQueen
Summary: The trio has returned to Hogwarts with the seventh years from last year to redo their schooling. But when Hermione and Draco become Head Boy and Girl, they're put into the same common room, alone. Will Hermione be forced to choose between Ron or Draco?
1. The Return To Hogwarts

**Chapter One**

**The Return to Hogwarts**

Hermione Granger was headed back to Hogwarts to make up her seventh year in which she and her two best friends did not attend. She, Harry, and Ron were so relieved that the war was over, all the horcruxes vanquished and Voldemort dead. Harry was only going back to Hogwarts for a last year of Quidditch seeing as to though that he destroyed the most horid being in the world, he more than met the requirements of an auror. Ron had decided that he wanted to go into business with George, but wanted to stay with Harry and Hermione as long as he could. And Hermione, she wanted nothing more than to be a healer at St. Mungo's Hospital.

They were on the Hogwarts express recalling their summer away from the magical world with Neville, Luna, and Ginny. Neville was recalling what his Gram had said when he first got back from the war, "and when I got back my Gram said 'Because we are famous, Frank and Alice,' you know my parents 'will come live in the new extension that I bewitched next to your room...' I am just so happy that we can afford it with all those galleons the Ministry awarded us."

Luna had tears in her eyes, "That's wonderful Neville. I am so happy for you. I am also happy that my father is out of Azkaban for telling the Death Eaters that Harry, Ron and Hermione were at our house even though they weren't."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged looks, but it was Ron that spoke, "Actually Luna, we were there, the Death Eaters just didn't see us on account of Harry's invisiblility cloak."

"Really? Well, I'm still glad they didn't catch you because then Voldemort wouldn't have died!" Luna exclaimed.

The campartment door slid open so quietly that the group didn't even notice. "Hey Granger, Weasley!" it was Malfoy's voice they heard. As the pair turned their gaze to him he said, "Prefect duties, honestly I would have just let you get in trouble if the new Defense teacher wasn't sitting in my compartment."

"Thanks Malfoy, but we were just leaving." Ron snapped.

"Don't make me dock points from Gryffindor when we aren't even up to the school yet Weasley. Consider that your warning." and he slid the door shut and strode down the train.

After she was certain that he couldn't hear Hermione said, "I cannot believe that he would talk to us like that after you saved his snooty little butt from death Harry!"

"I can, he still thinks that he is superior to us even after Voldemort is gone. I'm telling you if I can do away with Voldemort I can certainly do away with Malfoy." Harry muttered only loud enough so that they all had to lean in closer to hear.

They all laughed harder than they had in a long time and it made Hermione's throat hurt badly. "Well, Ron we need to get down to the prefect's compartment to hear what they have for us before we get into trouble." she said and as she got up she pulled Ron up out of his seat.

"Bloody hell Hermione, your stronger than you look!" he laughed. And they left the campartment with the sounds of their friends' laughter ringing in their ears.

They pinned their prefect badges on as they walked down the train. A compartment door slid open ahead and soon they saw Cho Chang walking towards them. "Hello Ron, Hermione." she smiled.

"Hello Cho, where are you heading to?" Hermione said happily.

"Oh, well I thought that maybe I would go say hi to Harry and congradulate him for the whole war thing... so, yeah. See you later Hermione. Say hi to Ginny for me Ron." she exclaimed as she kept walking.

Ron laughed when she was out of hearing range, "Too bad she doesn't know that she will be saying hi to Ginny herself." he chortled loudly.

"Ronald, that's not funny! Cho doesn't know that Harry and Ginny are dating, let alone serious! Why didn't you tell her?" Hermione rounded on him.

"Jeesh, I just thought that it would be a good laugh. You know I don't think Ginny's right for Harry! I mean, you've seen how he looks at my sister!" he tried to defend himself.

"Still, I don't think she would like to have a row with Cho today. I mean it's the first day of school!" and Hermione opened the door to the prefect compartment and went inside, followed by Ron.

They were back in the compartment after performing their prefect duties. Ginny was glaring at Ron with a look of loathing etched into her beautiful face. "I cannot believe that you didn't tell her that I was dating Harry! You son of a -"

Ron cut her off, "Just so you know if you call me that then you are talking about your own parents." he laughed.

"I don't know how sweet of parents we have, could have made such a mistake as you!" she spat at him.

It was only then that Ron looked at her as if he was imagining her to explode into a million bits. And Hermione held back a giggle when she caught a glimpse of Ginny returning the same exact glare, sometimes it was just funny how much the two siblings looked alike!

"C'mon Gin wasn't it just wonderful when you saw the look of shock on her face?" Harry tried to make her feel better and she couldn't help but smile, "After all, she was the one that broke it off between us, I didn't feel the need to tell her about my new and better relationship." he added as Ginny giggled. Ron made a gagging sound behind their backs.

It was growing darker outside and the group pulled on their robes over their clothes. Soon the train slowed and then skidded to a stop. Harry and the others got their trunks and pets, Harry with a new owl named Hedwig the second. Hermione grabbed Crookshanks and headed out of the compartment, considering that she had her pouch that she had bewitched over a year ago, she didn't need hardly a trunk. They saw Hagrid in the distance shuffling the first years to the lake where their boats awaited them. They found a coach and they fed the thestrals (which they could all see because of last years battle) and clambered inside.

"I just know that you will make Head Girl Hermione!" Neville was saying, "And the best part is that you won't report us, right Hermione?" he added hopefully.

"It really is against everything I believe in..." she started and then paused, "but I think that some exceptions are necessary." she smiled as she finished.

The carriage stopped and the lot climbed out and went up to the castle still chattering about who knows what. Hermione wasn't paying attention. She was thinking of the fact that if she did become Head Girl that she would have a new common room and that she would be sharing it with someone else. But then she remembered that there is also an alternative, there was a room at the top of Gryffindor Tower by the girls' dormitories labelled "Head Of Houses" that she could go to if she really despised her roomate, but that would mean no privacy, which she had been lacking for a long time. She hoped that the new Head Boy would be nice to be around. "Coming Hermione?" Harry was saying, for Hermione had turned in a different direction.

"In a moment, I'll be there in a second." she said as she wandered off toward a familiar beech tree.


	2. A Visit To The Tomb And A Decision Made

**Chapter Two**

**A Visit To The Tomb &**

**The Decision Made**

She went to the place where Dumbledore was layed, as she looked down on the tomb a tear rolled down her cheek. If only he hadn't placed that cursed ring on his finger he might still be here, taking his place at the head of the staff table and announcing about the school to the first years, and just looking over at them with admiration through his half moon spectacles. It wasn't them that should be admired, he was the one that had told them how to do all that they did, he who had a special bond with Harry Potter that made him trust us completely. If he had been there, maybe Fred might still be here, reattending school. Or Lupin, or Tonks, or... she held back tears as she thought of it, Dobby, who had helped them so much. Or maybe even Snape, who had turned out to be... well, good after all. She looked at the name engraved in the white marble tomb.

_**Here Lies Albus Percival Wilfred Brown Dumbledore May He Be Remembered In Our Hearts And Minds**_

She thought about all the good he had done for the world, how much advice he had given them, how much he cared for the school and it's students, and how much he had to do with the destruction of Voldemort. How caring and smart and funny he had been, she had admired him so much, it was still hard to say goodbye. Even though he had the special bond with Harry, _Hermione_ still felt a sort of sadness that he was gone. What was said on this stone was so little to express a man that was larger than life itself. She looked over towards the greenhouses, she walked over and picked some lillies to place on his tomb and thought to herself that Proffesor Sprout most definetly wouldn't mind, for this little act of love towards the past headmaster was enough to make even Draco Malfoy tear up and that was a lot to say since Malfoy was probably the most unemotional man ever. She even smiled to herself because the flowers were _lillies_, sometimes her coincidences were touching.

Hermione remembered all the times he had given her advice, and as she stood up and walked away she vowed to herself that every two days she, Harry, and Ron would visit the late headmaster and give him fresh lillies. Whether they had to steal them from Professor Sprout or conjure them herself.

As she looked up into the sky she could still see the shade of blue that resembled Dumbledore's eyes through the sunset that streaked the sky, _the sorting hat should just be starting his song,_she thought to herself. She climbed up the last of the steps and walked through the doors. Everything was repaired from the fight just before that summer. In some ways the place looked even grander than before, was it the new marble in the staircases? The newly restored paintings? The new house banners? The polished stones? Or was it the fact that for now the evil was gone from the wizarding world? Hermione didn't know, she just knew that it was good to be back at her favorite place once more.

When she went into the Great Hall she heard clapping from all around. _Why are they clapping?, _she thought to herself. She walked over to the Gryffindor table and seated herself inbetween Ron and Harry. "Why did they clap when I entered?" she asked sincerely curious.

Ron answered first, "Duh! The battle last year? They clapped when me and Harry came in too, I suppose that it's because we helped destroy the horcruxes isn't it? They applauded Neville, Ginny, and Luna as well as all the students 4th year and up."

Harry smiled, "The thing that made me laugh is that the muggle born first years were all puzzled. And it made me think about the fact that my reaction would have been the same most likely if I were their age, of course I was a wizard but then again I never knew that..." and he trailed off as he saw the new Transfiguration teacher and the Defense teacher walk into the hall hand in hand smiling.

"Why, are the Malfoys sitting at the staff table?" Ron questioned angrily.

"Well, I suppose that they desperately need jobs since no where else would hire past Death Eaters." Hermione said, "and, I'm just guessing at this, but, Malfoy's father definitly could tell us just how dark lords think seeing as to though he had one living in his house with him." she finished matter-of-factly.

Harry was next to say his share, "And also Mrs. Malfoy did save my life last year in the Forest."

Ron looked as though he would murder Harry, but Hermione stepped in, "Harry, you never told us that!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah, I think you owe us the story! Seeing as to though the most evil little prat's mom is probably just as bad! Or that's what I thought before you enlightened us!" Ron said sardonically.

"Look I know that it did save my life, but she said that I was dead when sent to investigate my body. I know that she did it because she could only go into Hogwarts as apart of the posse of defeaters to get Draco. I know what your going to say, and don't she was just being a good mother." Harry replied calmly, "I have no grudges against Narcissa Malfoy so, don't be mad that she's here, just embrace it."

Hermione had tears in her eyes, "Harry, that is so touching. I know that your mom would be proud of you, your dad and Sirius as well." she added quickly.

"Yea, yea. Whatever... girls are way too emotional... " Ron trailed off as the headmistress began to speak.

"It is time to announce our new Head Boy and Head Girl! I hope that you all prepared speeches, you all have a fair chance at this!" she picked up the Sorting Hat again, "I do not know all of you well enough to do this on my own and I am not a good legilimens so, we are leaving it up to our faithful friend! He will read all the seventh year Prefects' minds and decide!" she beamed as she looked around the hall, "Well then let's get started."

"It's not really fair is it?" Ron said.

"What isn't Ron?" Hermione inquired.

"It's just that none of the girls really have a decent chance at this, we all know that you will be the 'Head Girl' Hermione. I just hope that Malfoy doesn't get head boyship, the very thought of you two sharing a common room..." he shuddered, "Just promise me that you won't leave me for him, that would be very, very embarassing." Ron said.

"Um, I half want to say thanks for that and I also feel like scolding you as well. You know that I would never cheat on you Ronald." Hermione whispered, "Anyways..."

"Granger, Hermione!" McGonnagoll said aloud.

Hermione looked at Ron one last time and then walked over to the stool on which the Sorting Hat sat. She looked up at the headmistress before she sat down again. It had been a long time since she had sat on this stool in her first year. For one thing, the hat did not cover her eyes as it had when she was eleven and a half. Second, she knew that she was not being sorted into a house, just into a chance at Head Girlship. And third, the first years looked relieved that they were not the only ones to be humiliated in front of the whole school. She just wondered what the Sorting Hat would see inside her mind...

"Not much has changed I see," he began, "you are still very intellectual for your age, bravery is more relevant no doubt about that, you are cunning as you have always been. You would make a fine Head Girl, leadership skills, you like to play by reasonable rules, I believe my decision for head girl is made headmistress!" He said to McGonnagoll, only loud enough for her to hear, besides Hermione, who was absolutely thrilled.

"Very well, sift through the rest now and we will announce them together." she stated calmly, as though she had done this millions of times. She didn't look surprised by his statement at all.

Hermione was nervous, there were definitely good enough scholars in this room. Certainly some that had not broken as many rules as she had. She got off the stool and walked casually over to her seat trying to hide her nervousness so Ron and Harry would not see it clearly. Unfortunatly for her, they did.

"Hermione are you nervous?" Harry asked while holding back a snort, "Really, don't be. All you have to worry about is how you'll look while you give your speech. Just be glad you know what your doing."

"Really Harry, I won't be giving a long speech, maybe just a 'Thank you I'm so happy to have become Head Girl.' and a, 'Really, I'm so happy that I can make a difference in my favorite place, Hogwarts is my home.' I mean really it's no big deal right?" Hermione said, still nervously.

Harry just gaped at her and then fired off like a cannon, "You mean to say, that I had to go up there and make a huge Voldemort speech and all the things that go with it and you think that all you have to say is a measley 'Thank you' ? Not gonna happen Hermione!" and then he grinned maliciously, "You know, I have been practicing my Imperius Curse and I think I'm quite good at it. Or maybe you'd prefer to be cunfunded?" he smirked at his joke.

"Not funny Harry." Hermione replied just as McGonnagoll cleared her throat.

"Would all prefects please come up to the front of the hall? We shall be announcing our heads now." she smiled warmly as she said it.

Hermione went up the the front closely followed by Ron. Hermione saw Ron look over at Malfoy and saw the look of 'You have no chance at this Weasley' look on his face. She also saw Pansy Parkinson alongside Draco, whining about how she just _knew_ it wouldn't be her and he would be all alone because that 'Granger' was bound to try to take her place and blah blah blah. Hermione smirked and they all stood in front of their peers and awaited the results.

"This is going to be murder being away from you every day Hermione." Ron said in her ear as she blushed bright red.

They waited a long time and then they were surprised to see the Sorting Hat open it's mouth to announce the heads. Hermione closed her eyes and prayed that she would get this without all the humiliation of a speech.

The Sorting Hat yelled, "Our head girl is now and for the rest of the year..."


	3. A Death Sentence For Draco

**Chapter Three**

**A Death Sentence For Draco**

"... Hermione Granger!" the hat screamed.

Hermione opened her eyes, everyone was on their feet applauding her and her great success. She beamed knowing that she had well earned it. She hoped that she would do her part well this year and that she would be well remembered, not as Harry Potter's friend, but as a good Head Girl and leader. She almost didn't hear when the hat yell Draco Malfoy's name. She felt Ron tense up next to her and knew that it was going to be a long year. Sharing a common room with Malfoy, she shuddered at the thought of it.

They asked Malfoy to give his speech first, but he insisted that ladies should go first. _Lady? To him 'Mudblood' is more like it ugh, to have to wake up to that word every morning!_ but she obliged becouse she really was a lady whether he thought so or not."Um, wow! I didn't really think that I would get this honor seeing as to though I missed a whole year of schooling last year! Oh, um, well, I guess I should start off by saying thank you and that I'm happy to be here this year! I've really missed it, you would not _believe_ the drama with trying to convince two _boys_ that we could figure things out. Hogwarts is my home, my favorite place. Before age eleven I didn't even know this place existed, which I'm sure a lot of you first years are thinking, and now... well, I know a lot more than any muggle school could teach me! I've learned so much here and really, all I have to say is that, get all you can out of learning because after this, how much more do you get? You get thrown into the ongoing difficulties of _adulthood_ ugh! Anyways, thanks and I'm glad that I'm here and I'm also glad that you are too." and she finished just as abruptly as she had started.

She cringed as she walked past Draco, was he smiling at her? No, he couldn't be, unless he was trying to show that he had earned his new position of power. Yeah, that's all it was, nothing more than that. Right?

He now started his speech. Hermione didn't listen she just stood there without complaint. She wanted to settle into her new room, her new home. She shuddered again. It might be a long year or it might be a good year, she didn't think twice, it was going to be a long year. Listening to someone brag all year long, having to walk downstairs and be insulted over and over. How far would he take it this year? Would he at least refrain from calling her 'mudblood'? Most people were either muggle born or half these days anyway, it was difficult enough with learning all about the new wizarding world you _hadn't_ known before, but being ridiculed for it was just plain rude. You would think that someone could show some restraint, even if they thought they were better than you!

He was done with his speech and now he was standing next to her beaming with delight at his newfound authority. Hermione cringed, she didn't like standing so near him, smelling his stench, she could almost _feel_ his greasy hair! The school was still cheering, it was like they were never going to stop, were they just going to keep going on and on and on and on...

Proffessor McGonnagol stood up (at last) to silence the school. She beamed again as she said, "Thank you for that round of applause! Our new Head Boy and Head Girl are going to now tell the prefects their houses' passwords in the room directed on your right. The rest of you may dig into your dinners!"

Hermione started off to the room in which the headmistress had directed, with Draco stalking alongside her no doubt. "This is a death sentence in the making. I cannot believe the things I put up with..." Draco muttered to himself. Whilst Hermione pretended not to hear that comment. She just wished she could go to the dormitories, she just wanted some _rest_ before she had to start studying the next day.

It seemed like it had all gone in slow motion. Hermione had really hoped that Draco would be decent since they had saved his life last year, _oh well_ she thought to herself. She had spent a whole hour with him going over their duties with the headmistress, who felt a need to repeat unnecessary things compulsively over and over again. She was now in her room in the head's dormitories. Her room was spectacular! She had incredibly high ceilings painted a golden color, carpet that was rose red, and her bed was made of oak wood with gold egyptian cotton and satin for sheets and covers. When you walked into the room the first thing you would see is the bed in the far corner coming out diagonally. Then you would see the wardrobe directly across from the bed. In the other corner was a bookcase and a two-person sofa. And there was an antique vanity on the wall that you would walk in from.

Hermione liked her room, all of the colors were reds and golds and oak wood. They were her house colors and they had also grown to be her favorite colors personally. Hermione walked over to her bed and layed down and she looked up at the ceiling which, as she had just noted, was just like that of the Great Hall's ceiling. It was a cloudless night and the stars were out and twinkling. Hermione felt so stupid for thinking that Draco, of all people, had turned to the right side at last. She was about to do something she thought that she would never do. She was going to have a heart to heart with the most vile thing that remained in her world. _Oh what a completely unnecessary joy to have to do!_ she thought to herself.


	4. A Heart To Heart With A Vile Being

**Chapter Four **

**A Heart To Heart With A Vile Being**

Draco was already down in the common room chatting with Goyle and Pansy, Hermione really did feel bad for Crabbe, he just couldn't get free of the fire. As Hermione was walking down the stairs she heard Pansy cackling and complaining as if she had done it all her life, oh wait, she had. "Drakie! Oh Drakie! Can't you possibly kick Granger out and let me stay with you? It would be for the best, really. I'm so going to miss you! And you'll never be able to _not_ study, what with her being such a parasite and all..."

Hermione started to walk out of the shadows of the stairs and cut her off, "Wow Pansy! I had no _idea_ that parasite was in your vocabulary! Do you really know what it means or was I just hearing wrong? And no, I will not be leaving the vicinity. Apparently you weren't smart enough to get this position and, frankly, I KNOW you aren't smart enough. Now if you don't mind, I need to talk to... what was it you called him? Oh yes, Drakie. And alone, if you don't mind. Well, I know you mind, but I don't really care at the moment." Hermione snapped at Pansy to wipe the 'Purebloods are better than Mudbloods' look off of her skinny little face, all the while doubting if she really was a pureblood.

Pansy and Goyle didn't even say a word, hardly. Goyle snickered just a bit, and Pansy just shut up and gave Hermione a dark look of loathing as she and Goyle stood to leave the room. "The only thing stopping me from that position is the fact that you and Potter are friends Granger, and you helped him defeat the Dark Lord. McGonnagoll also has a tendancy to show favoritism to those who she appreciates for taking the fear from her life, not to mention she used to be head of Gryffindor House or the fact that the papers are calling you three the 'Golden Trio' might _also_ have something to do with it."

"First of all, McGonnagoll didn't choose, the Sorting Hat did. And he didn't say one damn thing about the whole Voldemort thing and second, there's no sense in calling him the _Dark Lord_ when he's DEAD Pansy. And only a _ferret_," she looked at Malfoy and laughed, "would ever even _consider_ making you Head Girl." Hermione spat.

And with that Goyle pulled Pansy back from the common room and they disappeared out the portrait hole. "Fifty-million-bajillion points from stupid Slytherin." Hermione muttered to herself.

She just stood there for a minute cooling off when she heard it, clapping, from behind her. She spun slowly on her heel to confront the little vermin who was making the stupid sound. "Why, exactly are you clapping?" she spat at him.

"You just put up a nice argument against Pansy, but also dragging me into your little prejudice as well. None of the less, she never got the last word. She is starting to bum me out, she really is a bore. I think I might just toss her, find someone more exciting. She really does laugh like a hyena and most of the time she is just plain whiney. No wonder everyone hates her, I _do_ have a rep. to keep you know." he stated.

She was dumbfounded, that was probably the longest speech he had ever given directly to her without the mention of 'mudblood' in it. She was also ticked because he _still_ was being ignorant. So she just exploded then, "MY PREJUDICES? MY... YOU CALL ME MUDBLOOD EVERY CHANCE YOU GET! AND YOU SAY I HAVE A PREJUDICE? I _KNOW_ THAT YOU THINK YOUR BETTER THAN THOSE OF US, WHICH ARE MOST OF US, THAT AREN'T PUREBLOOD! VOLDEMORT WASN'T PUREBLOOD! HE WAS ONLY HALF! AND YOU JUST _ADORED_ HIM! IS PANSY PUREBLOOD? YOU THINK YOUR SO SUPERIOR BUT YOUR NOT, MALFOY. WHO SAVED YOU LAST YEAR FROM THE FIRE IN THE ROOM OF REQUIREMENT? HARRY, RON, AND MYSELF! AND YET YOU ARE STILL BEING SNIPPY AND ARROGANT! I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT YOU WOULD _APPRECIATE_ US, YOU KNOW, WE _DID_ SAVE YOUR LIFE! I GUESS NOT! AND YOUR REP. IS A PETTY PRAT WHO DOESN'T KNOW RIGHT FROM WRONG!"

"I'm sorry you feel that way Granger. I really didn't notice, I mean it _is_ only the first day back, would you _really_ know I _haven't_ changed just from a few hours? No, and I believe I haven't called you _mudblood_ at all since we returned. Am I correct?" he stated calmly, as if she _hadn't_ just yelled at him, "And yes, I do appreciate your saving me, after all you've been forced to put up with from me over the years, hell, I would've just let me die. But no, you took pity on me. Whether you did it for my parents or me, I don't care, you still saved me and for that I owe you a thanks and an apology. Now, I would please like to ask you _not_ to yell at my friends when I am entertaining, and I shall do the best _I_ can to do the same." he said curtly.

"That's all I ask, oh and if there are Gryffindors _I_ would like to entertain, such as if Harry, Ginny, or Ron come to call, you refrain from your silly little remarks of unfriendliness. And I only yelled at Pansy because she was talking smack behind my back. I don't need to put up with that self-centered, coniving, insignificant, wretch." Hermione sat on the couch opposite of him.

"Well, I hope you don't take this the wrong way Granger. But I must be going, there's a Slytherin party that I simply _must_ attend. And, if you don't mind, I won't be returning _anytime_ soon, so invite Potter and the Weasleys over if you want. I'll be late." he stood up and was nearly to the door when he turned, "And, I do think you have _some_ prejudices against Slytherins. It's not just the way you see me, you sniff at all the others too, am I wrong? You could find some of us to be very... _appealing_." he sneered and then he vanished through the portrait hole, after Goyle and Pansy she guessed.

Hermione, Ron, Harry, Ginny, and George were all sitting in the new common room chatting. "So Lee Jordan's mum said he'd had enough schooling when he graduated last year, the bloody wench. I wish I had someone other than Ginerva and Ronald to hang out with, but since Ron doesn't want to leave school yet, I had to close the shop for the duration of the school year. I can't very well run the place on my own. What with... well with _him _gone." George was saying, it was still very hard to mention Fred's name for any of them, it was like seeing half of a person instead of a whole one, George was positively miserable without him there.

Ginny was forcing a smile while trying to make the conversation change from Fred to another subject, "So Narcissa Malfoy is the Transfiguration teacher this year, Lucius is Defense Against The Dark Arts, and Professor Slughorn has returned to be potions master again. So that's good. What classes did you all get?" she was mainly speaking to Harry but Ron interjected, "Well, I have most of the main core classes, what with Snape gone you can't really hate Potions. But with Lucius being the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher you can't love that one anymore now can you? I have Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Astronomy, Divination, all of the main things. I only stayed so I could slack off for a year or two, well, besides the schoolwork, which should be a sinch." he laughed.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked.

"Well, they very well aren't going to fail anyone of us. Especially the 'Golden Trio' because of last year, Slughorn will _definitly_ ask us to join the 'Slug Club' for it and the only classes we'll need to work at are Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. And even if we didn't and failed, McGonnagoll will intervene and scold the Malfoy's for prejudice abuse because the 'Dark Lord' was defeated by us so even then, we don't have to do ANY work! Isn't it just wonderfully ironic?" Ron scoffed.

Everyone in the room laughed heartily, except Hermione. But who expected her to? "Well, Ronald, you may do that but if Harry wants to be an _efficient_ auror, then he'll have to _actually_ do his schoolwork. And since I would like to be a healer, well, I _must_ do my schoolwork since I have no actual schooling on the subject. And if the joke shop falls through your going to want a back-up plan you know. George, you should also get a back-up routine going, something that could be successful if your joke shop falls through, you know, The basics of business?" she smiled.

Hermione was then followed with a round of glares from the circle. "What?" she said.

"Our joke shop is NOT going to fall through. Most of us here don't even _know_ what we want out of life, and for those of us who do, well, I suggest you _don't_ tell us we're going to fail. I always thought you were the considerate type Hermione, but that was just a painfully horrible thing to say. Don't you have _any_ faith in your boyfriend and I?" George spat.

"I didn't, well, I, um, George..." Hermione was at a loss for words.

Malfoy saved her from a big apology just then as he walked in from his big Slytherin Party in _his_ old common room. "Granger are you still up?" and as he turned around he saw the circle of Gryffindors awaiting him, "Well, I see you _did_ invite your friends over, how nice. But it's very late and curfew is in a few moments so I suggest you scatter, unless you plan on staying the night." he laughed at an inside joke none of them were on.

"Actually, Malfoy, Ginny _is_ staying over, so I hope none of your Slytherin friends plan on dropping in." Hermione laughed.

"Yeah, Gin can perform a mean bat bogey hex, I'd hate to see what your friends would think of that one." Harry laughed wholeheartedly and pulled a giggling Ginny closer.

Draco was stunned, the circle was actually laughing and joking around with him, or was he mistaken? _They probably don't even realize they're doing it_ he thought to himself.

Hermione just looked on, hating to think of the expression on Malfoy's face at the moment. Everything was a blur to her, were her friends actually trying to have a good laugh with him? This was very confusing to the both of them.

George seemed to have gotten over the little spat that had taken place, "Guys it's late, we should probably leave. Well, all of us except Ginny. Sorry Harry, you can't snuggle up next to her by the fire _tonight_ as you did every night during the summer. How my parents loved it, it was so disgusting! The same goes for you Ronald." George snorted, Ron and Harry threw pillows at his face.

When they finally left Malfoy had something to say, "Well, Granger, it seems that you don't know about the other rooms in this suite or you would have made hoir duerves." he drawled.

"What are you talking about Malfoy, there are no other rooms, this is just like the normal common rooms in our old houses. The only difference is that there are only two bedrooms instead of a whole fleet." Hermione said confused.

"Here is where you are wrong," Draco said, "the headmistress went through the living arrangements with me and told me to fill you in so that's exactly what I'm doing."

"Well spit it out Malfoy, we haven't the whole night!" Ginny laughed and nudged Hermione playfully.

"The kitchen is behind the big painting of Hogwarts, the main bathroom is behind the oil pheonix painting between the two staircases up to our rooms. The other bathrooms, for our bedrooms, are behind actual doors, and walk in closet doors are in the bathrooms. The dining room accross from the kitchen counter, and the office space is through that door over next to the fireplace." he concluded, "Now I am extremely tired and don't want to waste my remaining energy here with you. I already ate so I won't be joining you for dinner. I hope you do keep the noise down as you have your 'sleepover fest' and have a good time." he sounded nice and sincere, something Hermione had never really heard in his voice before.

He was walking up the stairs when it blurted out, "We won't be loud, thanks for the information! Sleep well!" Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth, Ginny giggled.

He turned around and raised an eyebrow, "Well, your very welcome. Um, you too. Sleep well, I mean." he said, and as he walked up the stairs he was chuckling the whole way.

Ginny turned slowly to look at Hermione and raised a brow, she knew what Ginny had to say and didn't want to hear it. Hermione walked over to the Hogwarts painting and touched the corner, causing it to lift slowly and walked inside. She gasped as she looked upon the flawlessly breathtaking scene that awaited her. Oak wood cabinets, a black stainless fridge, dishwasher, trash compactor, and stove. The floors were made of maple wood, it was a very muggle looking kitchen, like out of one of their interior design magazines. But of course, the mechanics of it all _had_ to be magical so you would never need to call a mechanic!

Hermione walked over to the counter and started to make some tea while Ginny walked over to the maple dinette set and sat down, resting her hands on the top of the back of the chair and her chin resting on her hands. Hermione just stayed quiet while she kept focusing on the tea, but Ginny couldn't stay quiet about what had just happened, "What was that about? I thought you _hated_ Draco, well you call him Malfoy but I've never really met the bloke so I'm just going to call him by his first name and not his surname as you all do."

"That, Ginny, was just me saying thank you for letting me in on what McGonnagoll had told him. What did you think it was? Flirting? Certainly not, I'm taken. Although he is quite a catch, he is also a pigheaded little snipe who has no sense of what is good in the world." Hermione said a little too calmly.

"Now, I never said you were flirting, you just spat that out yourself. He really is kind of cute, I don't know him so I don't know if he's pigheaded or a snipe so..." Ginny smiled but trailed off.

Hermione finished with the tea and walked over to the table, setting the tray down. She quietly sipped while she thought about what Ginny would probably say next but she also hoped that she would change the subject. She was also thinking about Ron and what had just happened but still doubted anything would come from it, but hoping something would. "What are you thinking?" Ginny asked, inturrupting Hermione's train of thought.

"It's probably for the best that you _don't_ know what I'm thinking Ginny." Hermione replied unsure of what she would say to that.

"Okay then. Guess what? I got McGonnagoll to let us put muggle television into Hogwarts! So now we can be couch potatoes all we want and no one can stop us! They're disguised as paintings of the Hogwarts Express and all you have to do is say what channel number or what show you want to watch, or the name of the channel! How wonderful is that? So now it's like tv but it's more wizard-like than muggle! Let's go watch a movie!" Ginny said all at once.

"That's cool Ginny, lets go!" Hermione exclaimed with as much excitement as she could muster, hoping Ginny wouldn't notice.


	5. Thoughts

**Chapter Five**

**Thoughts**

The movie had ended an hour ago, they had watched amovie called _Titanic_ made in 1997 with two famous muggles in it, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, it had been very sad for them both to watch, very emotional. _Why couldn't she have picked something a little less sad? _Hermione thought to herself. The movie had really affected her, the tragedy, love, and heartbreak of it all. They had taken something very historical, and turned it into a love story. A very sad one, but a love story none of the less. And now Hermione was laying down thinking to herself, with Ginny sleeping on the couch next to her. Hermione was thinking about Ron and Draco, _Why am I even thinking about him? I loathe him, right? Absolutely. So what's my problem? I'm happy with Ron! I don't need anymore drama right now. Am I bored with Ron? No, I couldn't do that to him, I love him! So why am I feeling nostalgic for when Malfoy would insult me?_ All of these things were going through her head. She loved Ron, she would always be with him if she could! So why was she thinking this way?

The next morning Hermione woke up to a loud banging noise in the kitchen, "What the...Ginny?" she yelled.

"What, 'mione? Gosh, what is that noise?" Ginny yawned.

"I'll find out, don't worry." Hermione said, knowing _exactly_ who was making such a racket this early in the morning. She stomped off towards the kitchen in one of her moods. When she entered she saw Malfoy, clattering pots and pans trying to cook something, she thought to herself. "What in the bloody hell are you doing Malfoy?" She yelled it at him furiously.

"What does it look like I'm doing Her-Granger? I'm cooking." he hoped she wouldn't notice the name mess up, she didn't.

"Then what are you cooking?" she retorted.

"I...um...well..." he was at a total loss for words.

"Well?" Hermione inquired suspiciously.

"...Bacon and...eggs!" he sounded triumphant that he was able to think of an excuse, he _really_ had been trying to tick her off and wake her up that morning, but Hermione knew better to his words.

"What do you take me for Malfoy? An idiot? No, you were trying to wake me and Ginny up weren't you? You don't have to answer because I already know the real reason Malfoy, and I'm not pleased by it." Hermione spat at him.

He couldn't get another word in, for Hermione stalked off to the common room and sat on the couch. "It's seven in the morning, on a Saturday! I cannot believe he is so derranged that he would even _think_ about doing that! But don't worry, I'll set him straight!" Ginny stood up and grabbed her wand.

"No, Gin that's _exactly_ what he wants. Let's just go upstairs and sleep, the extra walls will muffle out the noise that the ferret is making." Hermione stood and grabbed a cursing Ginny's forearm and nearly dragged her up the stairs.

When they had gotten to Hermione's room and she had shut the door Ginny erupted, "Now I know why you call him a...a...a... I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT WORD WOULD DESCRIBE THAT..." she trailed off.

Hermione laughed as she said something she faintly remembered saying in her third year, "A foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach."

"Yes, that exactly! Where did you come up with that?" Ginny exclaimed.

"Third year, Buckbeak was about to be killed and he was laughing about it, I called him that and well..." Hermione smiled evilly, remembering what happened next.

"Well, what? Did you hurt him, really really badly?" Ginny smiled at the thought.

"I don't want to be a bad exam..." Ginny gave her a nasty glare, "I punched his perfect little face in, that's what I did." Hermione laughed and added, "And it felt good!"

"Eeew!" Ginny giggled.

"You nasty little pervert!" Hermione laughed.

They heard a knock at the door, "If that's him I'm going to say that exact same thing, see what his face looks like, and then punch it so hard he will be howling in pain." Ginny sneered as she stalked towards the door, Hermione grabbed her arm and waited.

More knocking kept sounding from the door, "Who is it?" Hermione called.

"Two devilishly handsome boys who would just _love_ to see their girlfriends this beautiful day!" Harry called back.

Ginny squealed and ran to the door hurriedly thrusting it open and jumped on Harry, who was lucky not to fall down the flight of stairs two inches behind him, Ron made a face. Hermione walked over to the door and pecked Ron on the cheek, most unlike Ginny and Harry who were snogging uncontrollably, the outlook was simply disgusting.

"So, who let you in?" Hermione said questionably.

"Ferret Boy did, honestly, I thought I was going to have to threaten him with my fist, but a miracle happened! He just told us where you were, and here we are!" Ron smiled at her, "It's good to be here." and he hugged her close, breathing in her hair.

"I'm glad your here too." Hermione sighed into his chest.

"Okay, enough sugar coated goodness." Harry laughed, pouncing on his two best friends.

"Oh, because your snogging Ginny isn't at all disgusting?" Ron laughed.

"Shut up Ron. You don't know about love." Ginny spat.

Hermione looked at Ginny and then looked up at Ron, "I think he knows a thing or two." she said, Ginny gagged.

"Now stop fighting, you're all going to hell anyway." Harry said.

"What do you mean?" Ron said.

"Well, for one, we're all witches and wizards here. We're going to hell for practicing witchcraft and wizardry. And two, we're all going to hell because we're all murderers, hello? The war, we all had a fair share of killing there." Harry said.

"Your full of it, for your first reason, people only think that's evil because they don't know it's real. We can't help it if we have special magical talents." Ron said.

"Yeah, you have a real magical talent." Ginny said sarcastically.

Ron continued talking, not paying the slightest bit of attention to what Ginny was saying, "And for the second reason, God doesn't send you to hell for killing people while your fighting in a war. Duh, common sense, we were on the GOOD SIDE we weren't on the bad side anyway."

"It doesn't matter." Harry said.

"What about me Harry? Am I going to Hell?" Ginny asked innocently.

"No Gin, you're beautiful" Harry said.

"Well, your beautiful, and she's beautiful, and I know I'm beautiful, so can we go to the Great Hall and get something to eat?" Hermione said to Ron then Ginny and then to them all.

"Sure, whatever, I'm hungry." Ron said.

"You're always hungry." Ginny said.

"I know it." Ron replied.

**A/N: Thanks for reading, it's so fun to write for you all! I'm going to start putting lines from movies into my chapters, this is the first one to feature some. The Hell part all the way to Harry's last comment is from Walk The Line, and the beautiful part that Hermione adds to it is from The Notebook. Both really good movies, I must say. Please comment and email me, your feedback is really appreciated and important!**

**XoXo Tweedlebugqueen**


	6. Surprised Confessions

**Chapter Six**

**Surprised Confessions**

Hermione was sitting in the common room a while later, after she had spent a good portion of the day on the grounds with her friends. Now she was looking at pictures of when she was little, with her parents, and some moving pictures of Harry, Ron, and Ginny. This one would be of Harry at his first Quidditch game, or Ron after he had his cast put on after the Sirius/dog incident in third year, or of Ginny at the Yule Ball, or Ginny, Harry, Ron, and Hermione at the Golden Trio Ball the Ministry had announced. Her happiest memories were all in her hands at this very moment. Sometimes the worst times of our lives produce some of the best memories, we need to remember what used to be good.

"Nice pictures of Weaselbee, can't say that none of them are too sappy. Each one has a new gross factor added. One on top of another, more and more, sorry if this is giving you an unpleasant mental picture, but you get the point." Malfoy moved from behind the back of the couch to the coffee table in front of her to sit down.

"I'm not in the mood for your tyronny, Draco." Hermione said softly.

Malfoy paused, "Okay, do you mind my asking why you called me Draco and not Malfoy, cockroach, evil, nasty, or any of the sort? Seriously, where's your imagination? I personally like ferret, if you don't mind."

"Because I'm tired Draco." she answered.

"Then take a nap." he retorted, rolling his eyes.

"No, I'm tired of being an enemy of yours, someone who you call 'Mudblood' or 'Granger', I hate it. I think it's better if we just be friends." Hermione concluded, followed by a snort from Malfoy, "Okay, fine, I guess you're not ready for that. Acquiantances?"

Draco looked unbelievingly at Hermione, "You're serious?" he asked.

"How serious is serious enough for you, Draco?"

Draco leaned in, "This is fine, if your not bluffing."

Hermione looked into his empty blue-grey eyes and resolved, "No, not bluffing."

"Look, Hermione," he ignored her uplifted eyebrow, "I'm sorry for the names I've called you in the past, it's not your fault that you're a muggle-born, you're a really talented witch. And the other names I called you, I want you to know, they were only to live up to my Slytherin status. And I know that's a poor excuse for my actions, but I'm seventeen now, it's time for some maturity." Hermione looked at him, not really knowing if this was a thing she would ever get used to. A mature Draco, now there was a thought that was nice. He caught her looking at him and she looked down at her fidgeting hands, "You know what, I think we could be friends. But we have to be open and mature and no insults, even if we're not speaking. I think we should start right now, you call me Draco or if you want to call me by my nickname, it's D. I'll call you Hermione, if you don't mind that is." he looked into her eyes.

"Just like that?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"Just like that. Except, if we are in the same room as my mother and father, you call me Draco and I will call you Hermione. They will be shocked yes, but I have a new appreciation for you Hermione, one that won't fade easily." he confided cautiously, shifting his position slightly. He looked at the grandfather clock across the room, "Six o' clock, the night is still young, why don't we take the time to learn about one another? Tell me about your family."

"My mom's name is Helen and my dad's name is Greg, they're dentists you know. Dentists are muggle doctors that take care of your teeth and gums, they had to go to a special school and everything. My mom and dad met when they were both in their early twenties and went out for about a year and a half before they got married, they had me eleven months after that. We live in a suburban house in the middle of London, England it's okay sized, but really expensive to live in. It's good that my mom and dad have their own dentist office ten minutes away. They don't have a lot of trouble putting galleons in my Gringott's account, they give me enough to last until the next time I post an owl to them saying there's a ball or a holiday, which isn't often so I guess my life's pretty good. I don't have a whole manor to go home to during summer and my parents have no ties to the wizarding world except for me and the Weasley's so every summer is really normal and relaxing, I don't have to worry much about how to act or to not say the wrong thing, my parents are still kind of peeved I fought really close to Harry in the war, but they got over it. They like it when Harry and Ron come to stay with us, it's refreshing for them, they get an insight to how I live." Hermione looked up, Draco was listening intently, yet silently. "There's not much more to say about them you know." she answered his unspoken question.

"Do you love them? Like, would you die if you had to give them up?" he asked her, she wondered if he felt that way for _his_ parents, she hoped so but lately it was possible he didn't.

"I did have to give them up, for a short time I made them forget me. Because they knew Harry Potter, I didn't want them to be hurt by the Death Eaters or Voldemort, so I obliviated their memories of me and sent them to Australia, their new last name being Van Beuren. I almost died, but it's not like all my family was gone, I still had Harry and Ron and all the Weasley's, not to mention the Order of the Phoenix, well, most of it. It all turned out well when I took the spell off of them, they were incredibly angry, but it would have killed me if they died, there would be no doubt. So it's pretty obvious I love them enough to let them completely forget me." Hermione couldn't believe she had told him all this, her mother had been so hurt, all this was so hard to talk about and she was letting _Malfoy_ in on all of it.

Malfoy whipped his head up and locked his eyes onto hers, confused, "That sounds so complicated, I wouldn't go to that much trouble. Anyways, the Dark Lord wasn't after you or your family, he was after Potter's."

"When you really think about it that's not completely true."

"How?" he asked.

"One, I am one of his _best friends,_ he considers me family. Two, first Voldemort would want to hurt me so Harry would be hurt seeing me so torn then he would just dispose of me and, eventually, the Weasley's. Harry would be all alone and would _want_ to be dead. I know it's scary, but I think that's how a dark lord would think." she looked away from his face.

"You're really smart you know."

"I've been told." she said softly.

"I think he would have done that to tell you the truth, your tactics were so precise. If he had thought about it like that, he would have done it." he said angrily.

"Why do you seem so angry about this?" Hermione whispered.

"I don't know." he said, then he stood up and walked to his staircase, "You should sleep, it's late."

Hermione looked at the clock, it was eight o' clock, "It's not that late." but when she turned to look at him, he was gone. _This is so weird, why would he want to know so much about me? And why was he so angry about Voldemort killing me and my parents? Or is it people in general?_ Hermione thought to her self as she walked up the stairs.

She walked in her clean room, just the way she liked it, confused and tired. She went into the bathroom and started a hot bath filled with lilac scented bubbles. Just as she had settled into her bath a little paper bird flew in through the window, she dried her hands with a towel and caught it, "_So, what's up with you? Harry taught me how to do this today! Now we can talk all night! hugs, Ginny."_ Hermione laughed, she had forgotten how to do this until now, why hadn't she thought of it before now? It was brilliant so she wrote back, _"Taking a bath, I'll talk to you in a minute."_

Hermione hurried with washing herself and drying her hair and charming it into a high pony-tail. She walked into her room and changed into her fuzzy slippers and pajamas and got into her bed, "_So apparently Draco wants to become friends with me. Don't tell Ron or Harry if you're with them."_ she didn't have to wait two minutes for a reply, "_I'm not with them, I went to bed early because I'm tired. Why do you think he wants to be your friend now? I mean, I heard he's been pretty rotten to you all these years, so why now?"_

_"I think he is really grateful we didn't let him die in that fire, and I'm the only one who will accept his apology and try to be his friend. He was asking me all these questions about my parents and why I hid them in Australia last year."_ she scrolled hurriedly.

"_That's really cool that he would want to be your friend though."_

_"Yeah, but when I told him that I was afraid he would hunt them down to hurt me, Harry would be hurt seeing me in so much pain, then Voldemort would eliminate me making Harry really sad. Then he'd eliminate Ron, making Harry feel all alone, and Harry would _want_ to die so he would ask Voldemort to kill him. Draco got so mad because he knew that if Voldemort would have thought of that he would have _without a doubt_ done it." _she explained.

"_Maybe he thinks he owes you a life-debt or something, or maybe he was wishing you two could be friends and then he jumped right into the friendship. I would want to just be friends too, so I would want to keep you protected and happy, maybe that's why he was so mad."_

_"I think you're exactly right about that one!" _Hermione exclaimed.

"_Thanks, anyways it's getting late, and I'm tired. I'm going to sleep." _Ginny replied.

"_Same here, see you tomorrow."_

"_Definitely, night Hermione."_

Hermione hurried to finish the conversation, "_Night Gin."_ and then she fell asleep, having dreams of her standing behind Draco as he was fighting off Voldemort from her and her family, it was kind of realistic, but fantasy at the same time. Either way, it made her have a good nights sleep.

**A/N: The movie quote that I chose is "We need to remember what used to be good." at the end of the first paragraph. I tend to watch movies a lot so when I pick these quotes they will be in the movie I watched the night before, this particular on is in 'Thirteen Going on Thirty'.**


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